With now over 40 people connected to employment, we continue to see increased momentum from employers looking at new ways to attract and keep employees – and we ♥ it! This is driven in part by workforce shortages that many sectors are experiencing, but increasingly, we are hearing from employers that they are developing specific diversity and inclusion talent strategies. Companies engaging in a strategic approach to recruit from diverse talent pools have a goal to create an inclusive employment environment, one that reflects the communities they do business in. There has never been a better time to help employers find new/different/ creative ways to meet their workforce needs and transform their workplace culture.

We would like to recognize the extraordinary support from our Employer Partners – especially London Drugs retail stores who lead the way in overall recruitment (Cambie/Broadway, Abbotsford, Lougheed Centre, Granville, New Westminster, Kerrisdale and Langley), Edgewater Casino, Century Plaza Hotel and Spa, Focus Professional Services, Seaspan, Canucks Sports and Entertainment, and TRAKFLEET (previously Flip Flop Transfer). Vancity also engaged with the pilot in their recent round of hiring and we look forward to providing continued support in the future. Thank you to all our Employer Partners for your continued business and congratulations on your new hires!

Thank you also to our Service Partners for continuing to recommend and support your clients in their journey to employment. BC WiN would like to especially recognize Community Living BC, the Pacific Autism Family Network’s RWA team, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, Open Door Group, Neil Squire Society, the Canucks Autism Network, YWCA Metro Vancouver, posAbilties, Jobs West, Back in Motion/Avia, Langley Association for Community Inclusion, Abbotsford Works, WCG Services, Richmond Society for Community Living, Richmond Centre for Disability and Vancouver Community College for their tremendous support in working with job seekers to help best prepare for the opportunities with our Employer Partners.

We are pleased to begin working closely with the YMCA’s Youth BEAT and Youth Eco Internship programs, Inner City Youth Mental Health Program, Vancouver Coastal Health, the BC Division team of the Canadian Mental Health Association. We are also especially appreciative of candidate recommendations from Dr. David Worling, who works with talented neuro-diverse adults who live with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Over the coming year, our focus will be to expand BC WiN’s ability to reach job ready candidates for the abundance of opportunities we are helping employers recruit for. There has been a noticeable decline in candidate referrals via the service partner network which now requires that we seek additional ways to source candidates. This includes partnering more closely with post-secondary institutions and sector associations, customizing training opportunities with partners to develop a candidate pool, and overall increasing marketing and communication efforts. Together, let’s see what more we can do as we head in to the last year of the pilot to make the most of the opportunities we have to help connect employers to great talent!

BC Partners in Workforce Innovation

This collaborative and innovative pilot project is managed by the BC Center for Employment Excellence in partnership with employers and employment service agencies in the Greater Vancouver region.

This project is funded in whole or in part by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia